Raymond Decary (1891-1973) ou Madagascar mis en collections

Abstract

Raymond Decary (1891-1973) was for 27 years a french colonies administrator in Madagascar. He was also, at the same time, an historian, geographer, ethnographer and ethnologist, linguist and a naturalist. His botanical works provided the main part of the Paris National natural history Museum' s malagasy herbarium. He published more than 400 articles and about twenty books dedicated to Madagascar. As an ethnographer, he worked out the first general study about the malagasy tattooing. The " Decary Collection " registered at the Madagascar-Indian Ocean section of the Musée de l'Homme is made up of 797 objects distributed among 12 collections given between 1929 and 1974. In charge of the Scientific Research in Madagascar at the end of 1937, Decary asserted the importance of ethnology, aroused monographical researches about malagasy " tribes " and did one best to make out stock list of the ethnographie material and movable. In 1939, he prepared, welcomed and accompanied the " Clérisse mission "for the recording of traditional malagasy dances and songs. During his long stay in Madagascar, Decary mode several thousands photographies intended to illustrate the numerous fields of the investigations he explored. As a great collector, Decary gatheredfor 27 years plants, material or not objects, tattooing patterns, talismans, photographies for attesting the natural and cultural realities of Madagascar.